Phase One
by Daisyfan5534
Summary: When someone is lost, they can't come back. Unless they were never lost to begin with. Kim's death was a shock to everyone, even to herself. While her friends cope with her death, she tries to piece her life back together. Sure, going out and yelling to the Cyberworld that she's okay is an answer to her pain, but it's either she stays hidden or she dies. Book #4 of The Hidden Saga.
1. Dancing with tears in her eyes

**A/N: The moment of truth. This is what you have been waiting for! I think you can guess what the winner was for the poll, but if you can't, it was Phase Two.**

**So here's Phase One.**

**Disclaimer: I no own Cyberspace, I own Kim.**

Phase One

Daisyfan5534

Chapter 1

* * *

_"Maybe we should split up." Slider suggested._

_"Says the guys who didn't want to do this," Kim teased. "Got your SQWAK?"_

_"Yeah."_

_"Great, call if you find anything!" Kim said before running off._

* * *

Five minutes later…

_Kim was observant of everything, it was pretty easy since it seemed like she was seeing the same tree every ten seconds. Therefore she was getting bored. After a while she got the feeling that she was being watched. Kim downloaded 'Slender' on her laptop and played it a few days ago. She only got to six pages before she quit out of fear._

_Kim shook her head after glancing behind her. It was probably the game getting on her nerves. She remembered the last time she didn't listen to her sixth sense, when she almost got mugged in the mirror maze. Oh-no!_

_SNAP!_

_Kim gasped as she looked behind her. Not taking any chances, she started running._

_'Not today, anything but today.' she thought. After thinking she was far enough away from... whatever, Kim put her hand on a nearby tree to steady herself so she could catch her breath. Her side hurt like hell from running. She checked behind her to see if anyone was there, because her sixth sense was going off like crazy. Now becoming paranoid she started looking at everything around her. Kim wanted to go back; back to when she felt safe in Slider's arms. Why did she let him go?_

_Next thing she knew, Kim felt a hand clamp over her mouth, and something get injected in her arm, like a shot. She soon felt very weak and tired. Kim knew who it was and he has the advantage now. He shoved her to the ground, Kim's brain trying to process what was now happening before she felt something hit the back of her head, rendering her unconscious._

* * *

_Kim woke up, head spinning like a top. She saw… nothing, it was all black. She tried to move her hands to check what was wrong with her eyes, but found them tied behind her back. She felt her ankles bound together as well. Trying to get the ropes off her feet she could hear something get dragged along with it. The only thing she could think of is her bag, since it wasn't on her back. Why was it strapped to her ankles? Kim felt the energy in her body drain as she struggled to get free. She was drugged, bound, blindfolded, and completely terrified on what might happen to her._

_She heard footsteps come to her and felt someone yank her up by her jacket collar, only to be dragged upward. Eventually, she was standing, someone holding her steady. Even drugged, Kim could stand on her own. There was some slack with the bounds on her ankles, so it wasn't like she was going to fall down._

_She heard a smirk from the person holding her steady, before she heard footsteps walking away from her, leaving her there. Kim was literally scared half to death; she had no clue what would happen to her. All she knew was that whoever was following her was going to win. This is it._

_No! There was still a chance. She remembered pocketing her SQWAK Pad after running off from Slider. Even though it felt like she was draining her strength, Kim pulled the device out. Familiarizing herself with the buttons as she pulled it in front of her as best she could, she called the one who was going to save her._

_"Kim did you-"_

_"Slider…" she exhaled._

_"Kim where are you?" Slider asked._

_"I- I don't- know…" she said._

_"Kim, I need something helpful. Do you feel anything, hear-"_

_"Waves." She exhaled. "Cliff… I'm- on a cliff." She quickly said._

_"You sure?" Slider asked._

_"Uh-huh."_

_"Kim, don't worry, I'll come get you!"_

_"Slider…"_

_"What?"_

_"Hurry!"_

_The call ended and Kim tried to put her SQWAK back in her pocket, but she missed and heard a splash from below her. How far up was she? What if Slider didn't get here in time? What did this guy want from her?_

_Kim knew she couldn't scream for help, she was too weak to do so. Even if she could, it would likely be the last thing that comes out of her mouth. It was hopeless for her. She didn't want to die. There was so much she wanted to do, so much she wanted to admit. One thing is for sure: she would go down fighting._

_After standing for a while longer, she heard someone come up behind her and spun her around to face him. "Slider?" she said with hope. Could she actually be saved? Kim got no response. She felt a hand move to the back of her head and pull her closer, next thing she knew someone's mouth was up against hers._

_This wasn't some romantic movie, Kim was standing on an edge of a cliff, and Slider's kissing her. No! Kim remembered when Slider kissed her. It was just a simple, sweet kiss, but not this one. Who ever this was, kissed her over and over again. Unless Slider lost his mind, then she was in real trouble._

_Kim managed to speak once he finally pulled away. "You're not Slider."_

_"Got that right, sweetheart." He said. As far as Kim knew, there was only one person who referred to her as 'sweetheart'. It was him He sounded sort of familiar actually. "I hope you enjoyed your first kiss, because it's going to be your last."_

_Kim could feel him shove her, but she tried to fight against it. Draining her strength even more. "Please, don't do this." she pleaded to her follower._

_"I have no choice, you'd ruin the surprise." He began pushing her again._

_"No. Slider! SLIDER! SLI-" Kim's scream cut off her calling for her friend when she was shoved off the cliff, her bag pulling her down._

_Kim hit the water hard. Her blindfold slipped off her head. As she was getting pulled down, Kim's legs disappeared leaving a tail. Even though she was getting weaker by the minute, Kim managed to use her tail to swim to the surface. Hiding behind a rock in the water, Kim looked at the cliff she was shoved off of. She saw someone walk down to the little tide pool area under the cliff. It was him. It was the guy who Hackerized Sensible Flats. It was Ledge. He wasn't on her suspect list because Kim hardly knew him._

_The blindfold that fell off Kim's head was slowly being carried by the waves to Ledge. Smirking when he picked it up, "Well, phase one complete."_

_Did Kim hear him right? Did he say 'phase one'? Was she only a minor detail in his plan?_

_"Only question now is when the body will turn up," Ledge smirked before throwing the blindfold back into the water. "Then I can continue." He ran away._

_Kim felt the drug weaken her more as she thought about what she just heard._

_"KIM!"_

_Snapping out of her thoughts, Kim saw Slider at the top of the cliff, desperately looking for her. Kim practically hugged the rock to prevent Slider from seeing her. She didn't know why she was hiding; she can tell him that she's okay. What about Ledge, though? After everything he did to her, what else was he capable of? Kim didn't want to find out._

_The blonde watched her friend run down to the tide pools under the cliff before he called her name again._

_Kim felt something wet slide down her cheek, believing that it's ocean water, before the drug started to kick in._

_The water started submerging her as her bag pulled her down to the ocean floor. Fighting to stay awake, she felt something rub against the ropes on her wrists._

_Before she could turn her head to see what it was, her wrists were free and the something swam around in front of her._

_It was a small, pale fish with a shell in its mouth. Spitting it out, the fish swam away and Kim followed. With her strength fading away she was hoping that the fish was leading her someplace safe. She eventually came to orange-brown colored rocks scattered along the ocean floor. Something was ringing a bell._

_The fish swam into a hole formed between the rocks. Kim managed to push the rocks out of the way and discovered a cave. Hopefully this could lead to a place where she can rest._

_With the moving the rocks to find the cave and moving it back taking away most of her remaining strength, Kim swam through the cave. Finally she reached the surface and found a sandy area where she can rest. It was enclosed so no one would be able to find her._

_Kim used the last of her strength to pull herself out of the water and lay there on the sand. Taking a few breaths before the drug went into full affect and she passed out._

* * *

Kim felt the insane pounding in her head as her eyes became exposed to the light in the cave. Waking up from the memory, she sat up applying her hand to her head hoping to relieve the pain. Her tail was gone, so she started untying her bag that was still loosely tied to her ankles before looking inside it to see what she had.

The first thing she pulled out was her radio. Being stressed out all the time from being stalked by… Ledge, she would play music to calm her down.

Ledge… He tried to kill her. What he said about,_ "ruining the surprise"_ and _"phase one complete"_ was running through her head. Along with everything he did to her.

Kim quickly turned on the radio, hoping to calm down. It was currently playing_ 'One More Night'_ by Maroon 5. Dumping everything out on the sand, Kim looked to see what she had: A granola bar, a pencil, her poetry journal, and her photo album. Picking up the album, she leaned up against the rock wall and started flipping through it, looking at the memories.

The pictures of her and her friends. Digit, Dr. Marbles, Motherboard, Martha, the Cybersquad, and Slider. A lot of Slider.

Her favorite photo of the two of them was when she was eight and Slider was nine, their arms around each other. She couldn't remember the day when the picture was taken, but she loved it still. Why couldn't she remember? She looked happy, not having a care in the world. What happened? Kim's happy when she's around her friends, but not happy like that. She wanted to remember. What's holding her back?

Kim pulled the photo out, something was off. After all this time from looking at it on her desk she never noticed the arm on the other side of her shoulder where Slider's wasn't. It was cut off.

Thinking there would be something on the back, the turned the photo over and saw the rest of the picture folded to the back. Her heart pounded faster as she unfolded the part so she could see the full picture. The arm that wasn't Slider's, belonged to the person on the other side of her. It belonged to the one who tried to kill her.

Ledge.

Kim's eyes went wide as remembered something.

* * *

_"We're half-way done, Kim." Slider said throwing another photo in the box._

_Sitting on the floor in Kim's room was the two of them, getting rid of any evidence that he ever existed in their lives. That he would have never existed in Kim's life. Everyone agreed that it was best for her. Motherboard on the other hand thought that it would be best if she reported it. Kim didn't want to because she thought it was a waste of time for Lucky. Slider knew that there was more of a deeper reasoning for her choice, but he just wanted her to smile again._

_"Kim?" He saw her back to him. Well, her blanket to him. She's always been cold lately, so she's always in a jacket or a blanket when he sees her. Though they also hold a dual purpose._

_Dealing with the pain in his legs from sitting criss-cross when he stood up, he walked over to Kim and sat down in front of her._

_Her head hung low, staring at the picture in her hand._

_Slider said her name again before reaching out to her shoulder. Kim recoiled at the touch, causing her blanket to slip off her shoulders revealing the cuts and bruises on her arms. She quickly released the picture from her hands to pull the blanket back up._

_"I know this is hard for you to do, Kim." Slider said._

_"I like this one." Kim said blankly as she handed Slider the picture._

_Taking the photo from her hand, he looked at it. To be honest, he liked that one too. The three of them: Kim, Ledge, and himself. The boys sandwiching Kim in the middle. Arms around each other. He didn't want to make Kim even more depressed than she already is. So he folded the half with Ledge to the other side and gave the picture back to Kim._

_"You need to let go, Kim." Slider said as Kim looked at the newly formed photo in her hands. "It's the only way for you to move on."_

_"I know, but it hurts."_

* * *

The photo slipped out of Kim's hands and fell to the sand. "No, no, no, no, no!" she panicked as she backed away from the photo, though her back was already to the wall to begin with. "That couldn't have happened! That's not true!" She yelled in denial.

Kim raised her hand to grip her locket, but it wasn't there. Going into more of a panic she looked down trying to find it.

Letting out an exhausted sigh, Kim calmed herself down letting herself take in on what she remembered.

It wasn't just that memory, it was everything. When she and Ledge met a month after coming into Cyberspace. How the three of them became friends. How he gave her nightmares. How he pushed her off a cliff.

"Maroon 5- _'One More Night'_, the number one hit song this week." Kim turned her attention to the radio. "We'll be right back with a new playlist after this message." The DJ said.

"Erica Ram here, with an update on the terrible tragedy that happened recently. As you know, newest Cybersquad member, Kim drowned on Solaria after being pushed off a cliff three days ago."

"What?!"

"Everyone close to her is trying desperately hard to move on from her horrible death. Kim's body has yet to be found. We would ask if her killer would please step forward and confess. If you know anything, please contact Motherboard at Control Central. This is Erica Ram reporting."

The announcement ended before another came on, so Kim could process what she just heard. She was dead? No, she couldn't be, she didn't see her body in the cave, and ghosts don't dream. She was alive, but no one knew that. The drug put her in a coma for three days. Now, everyone thinks she's dead. If she shows her face in public again Ledge will come back for her.

Kim just realized what Evelyn's poem ment:

_"When determined and alone, you will find yourself back at home."_  
When she wanted to know what was wrong with Matt, Jackie, and Inez; she went back to Earth.

_"You find some things that will amaze you, and then a friend will help pull yourself out of a shocking blue."_  
Slider came to comfort her when she found out about her parents.

_"To add to that, you help heroes for their own good, while you are still hiding secrets under your hood."_  
She let the Cybersquad move into Cyberspace while Ledge was stalking her. Wait!

_"A ledge is where you'll stand between heaven and hell, until you cheat with no one to tell."_  
She cheated death and she can't tell anyone, or she'll actually die.

"Welcome back! This next song is by the beautiful Ke$ha." said the DJ before playing the song.

_"Here we go _  
_Welcome to my funeral _  
_Without you _  
_I don't even have a pulse_  
_ All alone, it's dark and cold _  
_With every move I die,"_

Kim was alone. Something she never wanted to be. She could feel something slide down her cheek. Kim knew she was stronger than that so she wiped it away, she doesn't cry, she hasn't since she was eight. Why should she now? She's just alone in some cave, her friends think she's dead, and would get killed if she showed her face in public…

_"Here I go _  
_This is my confessional _  
_A lost cause_  
_ Nobody can save my sole_  
_ I am so delusional _  
_With every move I die_

_I have destroyed our love its gone _  
_Payback is sick its all my fault"_

Kim couldn't hold it in any longer. She curled up into a ball and started balling her eyes out.

_"I'm dancing with tears in my eyes _  
_Just fighting to get through the night _  
_I'm losing it…_  
_ With every move I die_  
_ I'm faded I'm broken inside_  
_ I've wasted the love of my life_  
_ I'm losing it… _  
_With every move I die"*_

She just sat there in the sand, crying. Listening to her weeping echo in the cave.

* * *

**A/N: Didn't expect this, did you? Maybe you did. Either way, Kim is alive, everyone thinks shes dead, and Ledge is here. Any thoughts on what will happen? Hope you enjoyed!**

***- _'Dancing With Tears In My Eyes'_ by Ke$ha.**


	2. Kris walks the Blvd of Broken Dreams

**A/N: Welcome back to Phase One. That title gives me chills. Anyway, some pretty crazy stuff happened last chapter, and after a box of samoas, you're going to get some more. So here you go.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Cyberchase, I own Kim.**

Phase One

Daisyfan5534

Chapter 2

* * *

How long has she been sitting there? How long has she been crying? Kim was letting out every emotion that she experienced and remembered; and periodically reminding herself that she was alone. She didn't know how long she was sitting there crying, she was more concerned on if she was going to stop.

Kim felt something wet squirt on her. Looking up with her red-stained eyes, she saw a pale fish in the water. She shifted closer to the rocky edge near the water. Sand covers most of the floor of the cave; but near the water, there are imbedded rocks in the sand surrounding the pool.

Once Kim got to the edge, her legs became an orange tail that now hung in the water. Reminding herself how she survived.

She stared at the fish. It was the fish that helped lead her here… For the second time. It was Jumper! And he was the reason why she's a fish out of water.

"You okay?"

Kim's eyes widened. Sure this is Cyberspace, and anything is possible here; but Solarian fish don't talk. Maybe fish from Happily-Ever-Afterville, but not here. How can this fish talk?

"Look, I know you can talk and I know that you understand me. So please, say something."

"Why did you save me?" Kim asked.

"You needed help. We're all fishes in this ocean." the pale fish said.

"I'm not a fish, I'm a person." Kim said.

"Doesn't look like it to me." Jumper said.

Kim paused to look down at her tail. "Why do I have this?"

"I'm sorry that this happened to you. It's my fault that you're like this. I didn't think that it would happen." Jumper said.

"Explain." Kim said.

"There's this old myth about a Solarian cave that let's people turn into fish and vise versa. It only works when one person and one fish are in the cave." Jumper started.

"I'm with you so far." Kim said.

"It also only works on a night with a full moon, and I heard about the 'expert dives' that people like to do; so when it's going to be a night with a full moon, I go and look for divers who I hope follow me to the cave, and finally you did."

"So you can turn into a person?"

"Well, about that..." Jumper started. "I tried when I found out that I could talk. I think Solarian fish could hold out on water for a longer time than the Solarian fish now, because I almost died trying numerous times."

"So you get to talk and I get a tail. Yeah, that seems fair." Kim said.

"Again, I'm really sorry."

"It's alright, Jumper."

Silence filled the cave.

"This might be a bad time to ask, but what are you going to do? I mean everyone thinks that you're… um…" the fish trailed off.

"I don't know." Kim said.

"Why don't you go for a swim?" Jumper suggested.

Kim looked down at her tail. "Why should I?"

"Well, it might clear your mind. And this is basically your new home, am I right?"

Kim sighed. "I'm the only one who knows about this cave right?"

"Other than me, then yes."

Kim reached over to grab her journal and pencil before shoving them in her bag, and throwing it into the water. Kim likes tampering with things making them better than they are. Therefore, her bag was waterproof.

Pushing herself off the ledge, Kim landed in the water with Jumper.

Putting her bag on her back, she turned to the fish, "You sure this will help me?"

"That's up to you." he said before diving underwater.

* * *

Meanwhile… At Control Central…

It was quiet in the Cybersquad's room. The three kids were just about done with their breakfast. Jackie made eggs and toast. She tried her best to make the eggs like Kim used to; scrambled with grated cheese melted on top, but the three kids could taste a difference between Jackie's and Kim's. I mean they liked it, but it wasn't like their late friend's.

Occasionally, Matt, Jackie, and Inez would glance at the empty chair with them at the table, making it slightly sickening for the trio. No one was talking, and it's been like that three times a day, for three days straight. But hey, at least they're eating. When they got the news about Kim, they wouldn't eat dinner that night. Inez and Jackie made themselves sick from crying, and Matt was just too confused to eat, that and he was trying to calm the girls down, even shedding a few tears of his own. They started eating the next day, but it didn't make it any less weird and awkward.

Once the children were done, they set their dishes in the sink. When the kids moved in, Kim made sure they all did their fair share of chores. Yesterday, was Inez's turn to wash the dishes, so today was Kim's turn. Well it would be. After Kim was Jackie, so she started washing them while Matt and Inez went to the living room. Matt grabbed the remote, before sitting on the couch. Inez picked up the book she was reading before joining him, leaning against the armrest.

"What one are you on now?" Matt asked Inez as he scrolled through the channels on the television.

Inez pulled her head up and looked at the cover of the book, "_Cyberchase: Battle of the Equals.__Volume:1. Book:25_." she read aloud.

"Which mission is that?" Matt asked.

"When Hacker released all the cyberstatic into Cyberspace." Inez responded going back to her book.

"Oh…" Matt trailed off. He didn't know what else to say.

The red-head finally turned on 'Hard Drive' hosted by Sam Vander Rom. The show that tells it like it is.*

After he introduced himself, he started talking about the first topic of today. As if it wasn't already obvious, the picture that they used for the autograph signing when Kim was alive, was on the screen behind him.

"Today, I'm here to talk about the recent tragedy that is sweeping the cybernation. The death of twelve-year-old Cybersquad member, Kim."

"Turn it off, Matt." Inez begged.

She would wince every time Kim and death, or something like that, were in the same sentence. Not only did Inez do that, but her friends did as well. It was slowly breaking them inside when they heard anything like that.

"I just want to see if they found her yet." Matt said.

Inez went back to the book, hoping to get into it enough so she wouldn't pay attention to the show, but it was no use.

"Solaria's visitor ratings went up fifteen percent ever since Kim's sad death." said Sam.

Again, another wince. "Matt, please." Inez pleaded.

"I will, I just want to know." Matt told her.

The young girl sighed, tilting her head back against the armrest. She saw Jackie come around the corner from the kitchen. The two girls met eyes before looking back at Matt. Jackie walked over sat down on the other side of him.

"I am here with two of Solaria's residents with their intake of what happened. Joe, what do you think about what happened?" Sam asked him.

"I know that they say that she was murdered, but I beg to differ. I mean people would go cliff diving off some cliffs, but not that one. That cliff dive would just be asking for you to be killed. In other words, I believe that it was a suicide."

"Thank you, Joe. Next up, we have, Raden. So, what do you think about what happened?" Sam asked.

"I believe that she was actually pushed off a cliff, but not by some random guy. The friend that was with her, is who I think actually killed her. Think about it, he was the last one to see her. That is my intake."

"You heard it here, folks," Sam started. "Two different intakes on what could have really happened, but we all know the actual truth. We still have no information on a body being found. However, the death of Kim will always be remembered." Sam said.

"Uhg… I can't take it anymore!" Jackie stood up. Matt turned off the TV like he told Inez he would. "I am so tired of everyone saying that Kim's dead! Can't they just move on? I want to remember Kim for who she is, and it's so hard, because all I hear is people talking about who she was!"

"It's hard enough knowing that we're not going to see her again, and it's even more frustrating having it shoved in our faces twenty-four-seven! It's not like we don't already miss her." Inez added on.

"Look, it will probably fade out in a week or two, until then we-"

"We what, Matt?" Inez asked as she stood up, setting the book down where she sat. "We can't listen to the radio or watch anything without someone saying something about Kim."

"Well, we can watch movies, but if you don't want to do that, we could go to R-Fair City or something and-"

"And what? Get hoarded by the paparazzi and news crews asking us if we had anything to do with what happened to Kim?" Jackie asked. "And why are you so curious about Kim's body, anyway?"

"So what if I am? Who cares?" Matt stood up.

"You don't have to turn on the news everyday to find out if they have or not, they'll tell Motherboard when they find her." Inez argued.

"What if she doesn't tell us. I just want to know who killed her, and maybe her body will tell us that."

"Stop it! Just stop it! I don't want anyone to say anything about her- her body! I know it hurts you, Matt, just like it hurts Jackie and I!" Inez yelled.

"Deal with it, Inez! Kim's dead. There's nothing we can do to change that." Matt yelled back.

"You don't care do you?" Jackie accused.

"What I care about is this team." Matt responded.

"It doesn't look like it to me!" Inez snapped.

The girls were on the brink of tears.

"Both of you, get over it! Matt yelled. "Kim was pushed off a cliff by some guy who wanted her dead! For all we know it could have actually been Slider. Or maybe she actually did commit suicide, either way she's dead-drowned. And she's probably somewhere lying dead on the ocean floor or shark food."

Matt felt something hit him. He turned to the source and saw Inez, a couple tears streaming down her face. Matt realized he may have gone too far.

"Nezzie, I'm-"

"Don't call me Nezzie." she cried out before walking to her room.

"Jax-"

Jackie looked at him with disgust and tears before following Inez. Once both girls left the room, Matt knew he did in fact go too far. He picked up the pillow that Inez threw at him and sat back down on the couch.

What had he done? The girls hate him now. What was he going to do? He didn't mean to hurt them like that. They've all gone bonkers ever since Kim died. She deserved better, at least have her body turn up so she can have a nice funeral. That was why Matt wanted to find her body.

After everything Kim has been through, everything she's done for them, she at least deserves something better than rotting on Solaria. She deserved a funeral, an actual funeral. Something her friends can attend, say their final things to her. Have her be buried, with flowers and a gravestone with something that describes Kim on it. Let Slider have closure to his friend, and so he can visit her whenever he liked. Kim deserved that- maybe more, but nothing less. Why didn't he tell the girls that? Oh, yeah. Kim's death made them all nuts.

_'We need you, Kim. We really need you.'_ Matt thought to himself as he tried to think of a way to apologize to the girls.

* * *

Meanwhile… On Solaria…

It wasn't bad swimming in the water. It was kind of relaxing actually. Jumper had to give her a few tips on how to swim with a tail, but either way, it was kind of cool. Everything was so pretty. The animals, the plants, the seashells that she found. Kim even got to swim with cyberdolphins. It was just amazing.

Kim found out a few things about her mermaid form. She couldn't breathe underwater, but she can hold her breath for and extremely long time. Another thing is that she can swim really, really fast. From the cave to the shore would probably take at least forty-five minutes, but she could save a lot of time is she swam fast. Maybe it would take five to ten minutes.

She wouldn't have discovered any of this if she hadn't come out of the cave. The same goes for her problems, she needed to go back to the island and find a way to go unnoticed. A disguise. Good thing she was a master at that.

Kim made her way to the Solarian shore. It was far enough from the beach and far enough from the cliff. Only one problem she had to pull herself from the water and onto the land and wait for her tail to dry. She couldn't risk that, it would take too long and someone could see her. But what other choice does she have?

Pulling herself ashore, she took a few deep breaths, considering the risks in doing this. Kim heard something rustle in the forest, she became frozen in place. She saw something tall and hairy walk out. Kim's eyes widened in shock, it was the Solarian Shadow Beast. It actually exists!

The two locked eyes before the beast walked over to a boulder and picked it up. He walked over to Kim and lifted the rock over his head. No! He was going to kill her!

The blonde shielded herself and braced for impact before yelling, "I know why you're hiding! You're scared, scared that someone will find you and hurt you. They'll never leave you alone, and try to hunt you down. You can't go out in public without being found out." Kim looked up at the beast before lifting up her tail from out of the water. "I am too."

The Shadow Beast set the rock down next to Kim and held his hand out to her. Kim accepted it and she was pulled out of the water, being carried bridal style by the beast.

They were both mythical creatures outside of Happily-Ever-Afterville. So it's like they're family in their own way. The Solarian Shadow Beast took Kim behind a waterfall, home of the Cyberserpent of Solaria. After the Cyberserpent nodded hello, the Shadow Beast set Kim down in a beach chair, obviously stolen from the beach.

This was a start. Kim befriended a Solarian myth, so this should be a good thing, right. The beast gave Kim a towel for her to dry herself with.

"Thank you." she said. Kim scrubbed her tail to get her legs back, once they did she turned to the beast. "Thanks for not killing me, I appreciate it."

The Shadow Beast nodded.

The tall creature was very kind to her, the serpent in the cave with them seemed a bit judgemental about her. Kim figured that they lived together since they looked like they were talking to each other. Not wanting to be a bother, Kim stood up. "Well I don't want to be anymore trouble for you two, so I think I'll just leave. I'll find a way to repay you both, I swear. Again, thank you and goodbye."

The beast waved goodbye before Kim left.

Okay, so she's on the island, she just need a way to walk on the beach without being seen. It was really hot out, so the least she could do right now is change what she was wearing. Taking off her bag, she unzipped her mini jacket and shoved it inside. Next were her jeans. She could roll them up, but they could fall down leaving suspicion. So her only option was to cut them, but the only sharp thing she had was her pencil. Sighing she pulled the pencil out of her bag and sat down on the ground. Pinching the fabric and pulling it away from her skin, she held the pencil in her other hand, aiming it at the part she pulled hoping to create a hole and not stabbing herself. With luck, she punctured a hole through her pants, allowing her to rip them. She then did the same to the other leg, only she was more scared because she was using her least dominate hand to make the hole, but she managed to not injure herself. Kim through the scraps of her pants in her bag along with her pencil. Her makeshift shorts were cut just above the knee. Looking at her converse, she decided to take them off and put them in her bag as well. Since she's on Solaria, she might as well go barefoot.

A white tank top, jean shorts, and no shoes. Other than her rubber band, one of the accessories she has is the bracelet that Slider gave her. Slider… She missed him. And she had no doubt in her mind that he missed her as well.

Getting back on topic, Kim couldn't think of anything to do with her hair. She could use her rubber band to make a ponytail, but that would hurt like hell and it probably wouldn't work. Shaving her head is also out of the question as well. She couldn't really cut her hair with anything either. So how the hell is she supposed to get out of the forest without being seen?

_Ah-choo!_

Kim felt herself go on edge. This time she wasn't taking any chances. Kim picked up a fallen branch and walked toward the source of the sneeze. After coming up to a bush, she used all her might to hit what ever was in the bush. A teen came out shielding himself from Kim.

"Hey, knock it off! You found me, alright!" he said.

Kim stopped, but she didn't put down the branch. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you right now." she said.

"Because I want to help you." he said.

"That's a load of crap!"

"Look, if you wanted to go home, you would have shown your face in public, right? Since you haven't, there's a reason why. You're hiding from something." he said.

Kim lowered the branch.

"Jerome." he said.

"Kim, but I guess that you already knew that." she said.

"Do you want me to help you or not?" Jerome said.

"If you can help me wander around Solaria without being identified as dead girl walking then yes, I would." she said as she stuck her hand out to help him up.

* * *

Meanwhile… On Radopolis…

"Dang, Matt. You look like hell."

"Same to you, Slider."

The girls never came out of Inez's room. Well, not yet anyway. If Matt's thoughts were quiet enough, he could hear them cry. It hurt him and he had no idea on how to apologize on what he said. Digit was too busy working on Motherboard to talk, so he thought he'd check on Slider and see how he's holding up. Plus, he needed advice.

"Where's your dad?" Matt asked.

"With doc." Slider said.

"You doing okay?"

"Yeah, I guess. How are Jackie and Inez? They seemed pretty upset the last time I saw them."

"They're fine. They probably hate me, but they're fine."

Slider paused. "Why are you here?"

"Uh… How do you apologize to a girl?" Matt asked.

"What did you do?" Slider asked.

"I said some stuff I shouldn't have."

"What kind of stuff?"

"Stuff... about... what happened."

Slider bit his inner cheek before walking to a cooler. Opening it, he pulled out two cans, showing one to Matt. Eyeing it he looked back at Slider with curiosity of what exactly is it.

"It's soda."

Matt held up his hand and Slider threw him the can.

"I can't remember the last time I felt this bad." Matt said as he took a seat on the workbench.

"I've come close, but not to this point." Slider said, joining him. "Ever let loose before?"

"A couple times with my brother, but that was before things went downhill for us. We'd empty out life's problems, and nothing is ever spoken of again. Matt responded.

"That's basically the point of it. I've done it a few times with my friends when Kim was too busy to hang out." Slider said opening this can. "So, you came here for advice?"

"I'm currently living with two girls, and right now they both hate me."

"I'm sure they don't hate you."

"I made them cry… You sure they don't hate me?"

"I know as much about girls as I know where Kim is; so this is just going off from what I know about her, and I don't think they hate you. Trust me, there were numerous times when I thought that Kim hated me."

"Did she ever hate you?"

"She'd get mad at me, but she'd never hate me."

"Yeah, but that was Kim."

"The same goes for Nezzie and Jax, you three have a friendship that's pretty strong. It's not like what Kim and I have, but you three are inseparable."

"Don't you mean had?"

"Same thing, right?"

"Not really… So that means you still think she's alive."

"And if I do?"

"You're going to have to let go at some point, Slider."

"There's no deadline to it."

"It's hard for all of us." Matt said. "No offence, but you're in denial, and Nezzie, Jax, and I have gone nuts."

"There's no proof she's dead."

Matt winced and Slider took noticed. "I've heard it too many times, it doesn't bug me anymore."

"I just wish that she'd turn up. I mean, it'd be great if she's actually alive. But… she should have washed up on shore by now." Matt said.

"I wish I knew where she was." Slider said.

"That's why the girls hate me." Matt said. "All I want for Kim is for her body to found. We've all lost it, and I guess I couldn't explain to them why I want to find her. So, I took it too far, and told them what could have happened to her and where she is now."

"When did you know?" Slider asked. "When you took it too far."

"When Inez threw a pillow at me and I saw the tears on her face. She walked off to her room, and Jackie went with her to comfort her… or cry with her." Matt explained. "So how do I fix it?"

* * *

Meanwhile… On Solaria…

Jerome pulled keys out from his pocket and quickly unlocked the door to his apartment. "Get in."

Kim did as told. The population of Solaria was way smaller than her home town. There was around one to three thousand people, so there are a few tall apartment buildings for everybody who actually lived on Solaria. The cybersite only has one town, the rest is mostly a tropical jungle, a long beach with a few rides, and the whole island is surrounded by water.

After Jerome shut the door and checked to make sure the blinds were closed, Kim pulled the hat and huge sunglasses off her face. She decided to leave her hair up in a bun with the hair band that her new buddy gave her. "Thank you." she said taking a seat on the bed. Everybody knows that the apartment rooms are small on Solaria. One bathroom, one bedroom, one closet, a mini fridge, and a microwave. It's small, not much, but it's always doable. That's what Kim liked about it. If she wanted to, she could actually move into one of the apartments, but she decided to stick with the cave for now.

"No problem." Jerome responded. He pulled up a chair in front of Kim. "Any idea on what you want to do now?"

"No." the blonde responded.

"I'll help you in anyway I can. Just tell me what you need and I'll see what I can do."

"I can't ask you to do that."

"You didn't ask, and I'm letting you."

"You can easily expose me right now. Why are you doing this?"

"Who can you go to? Like I said before, you're hiding from something." Jerome said. "Dye or wig?"

Kim was silent for a moment. "Wig." Hair dye requires water.

"Preference?"

"Something not stupid."

"Got it." Jerome got up and left.

* * *

Jerome came back a half-hour later, a bag full of stuff. He gave it to Kim and she went to the bathroom and shut the door.

"Did it take a long time for you to find a wig?" Kim asked as she set the bag down on the counter.

"No, but there are some other things in there that I thought might be good for you." Jerome said.

Kim opened the bag to see what he bought. She smiled sweetly as the mirror showed her cheeks turn slightly pink. 'He really is trying to help me.'

* * *

"Hey, Kim. You almost done? I need to head down to the Juice Bar with my- Whoa…" The bathroom door opened with Kim fully dressed in her new disguise. Her wig was black with slight curls near the tips that went down to her elbows. A dark yellow tank top over her white one, one yellow strap hanging off her shoulder. Light wash, knee-length jean shorts with a couple small rips in them. Crimson colored vans on her feet, with a matching crimson tote bag where she put her extra clothes and her pull string bag. On her left ankle was the bracelet that Slider gave her.

"How do I look?" Kim asked worryingly. She wanted to know if anyone would recognize her if she went out in public.

"You look great." Jerome said, still amazed on how she looked. "Come on, lets test it out."

* * *

"I have a question." Jerome said as he and Kim were nearing the Juice Bar.

"What is it?" Kim asked.

"Am I allowed to tell my friends that you are alive?"

Kim was silent.

"I swear they won't say a word."

"I have… problems with trusting people." Kim said. "Maybe sometime after I know what I'm going to do. I don't know, really."

"I get it… So, have you thought of a name?" Jerome asked.

"What do you mean?" Kim asked.

"I can't really call you Kim without drawing suspicion. So what's your name going to be?"

"Honestly, I haven't thought about it."

"Oh…"

"I guess I should think of one, right?"

"Well, it better be in about thirty seconds, because I'm about to introduce you to my friends."

Kim's mind started racing for a name. She's already used Katie, so she had to think of a new name. Kim didn't like using the same name twice. Since she was wearing an anklet with the letter 'K' engraved in it, she started thinking of names that start with that letter.

"Jerome! Where have you been?" said one guy.

"Oh, and who's your friend?" said the other.

Jerome turned to Kim, hoping she'd say something.

"I'm… Kris." she said.

"Yeah, I met… Kris at the beach. She got hit with a volleyball, so I helped her." Jerome said. "Kris, these two are: Ethan and Oliver."

"Hi." Kim said shyly.  
"Hey." Ethan greeted.

Oliver waved at her before looking at Jerome. "The three of us need a plan for our next set."

"Got it. Just give me a minute." he said before turning to Kim.

"I like your friends." she said.

"Kris… Really?" Jerome asked.

"Get over it, it's the first thing I thought of." Kim said. "So, what is this 'next set' Oliver was talking about?"

"The three of us are in a band. Oliver is the drummer. Ethan plays the bass and he uses a keyboard to fill in the extra instruments." Jerome explained.

"What about you?"

"I play acoustic and lead guitar." he said. "We held auditions for a singer about a month ago, but we hit rock bottom. So the three of us just play covers. Although we can just crank out a new song in a few minutes, it would be cool to be have lyrics, you know? We usually play the same covers, occasionally throwing out something random, but we get sick of playing the same thing over and over again."

"That sucks." Kim said.

"Jerome." Ethan called.

Kim and Jerome said their goodbyes as they went their own ways. To be honest Kim didn't want to leave the Juice Bar, but she doesn't have any money. Then she remembered something on the door when she and Jerome walked in. A 'Help Wanted' sign. That gave her a reason to stay, plus if she got the job, she would be able to earn money.

* * *

Meanwhile… On Radopolis…

"I just don't know what to do." Matt said crushing the soda can in his hand and throwing it to the recycle across the room. He reached down to the cooler to grab another soda. Matt and Slider moved the cooler to where they were sitting. The two of them together finished a dozen sodas, a third of the empty cans in the surrounding the recycle bin because they missed.

"Just so you know, I didn't kill her." Slider said.

"I never said…" Matt recently told Slider what happened and what he said to Inez and Jackie. "Okay, maybe I did, but I was just in the heat of the moment. I'm sure you and Kim said something like that once or twice before."

"Saying things we regret to say to each other. Yeah, I still wish I could take some of it back." Slider said.

"When was the last time you apologized to her?" Matt asked.

"Almost a month ago. When I…" Slider paused remembering what he and Kim talked about. The kiss.

"When you what?" Matt asked.

"She made me swear not to tell any of you guys."

"Of course she did. So, how did you apologize to her?"

"I didn't know why I did whatever I did, so I'd start with saying, "I don't know." Then I'd try to explain myself. When I finished, I paused, giving her time to sink it in. Then I said sorry." Slider said.

"Did it work?" Matt asked.

"Yeah… She wasn't mad at me to begin with, anyway. So, I'm not sure if it'll work for your current situation right now."

"I'll try it, but if it doesn't work, then I'm staying here tonight." Matt said. "Wait how long have I been here?"

"A couple hours." Slider said.

"It's almost noon. Would it be a good idea to make them lunch?" Matt asked.

"I don't know the girls like you do. You do whatever you think is best." Slider said.

"Thanks, Sly." Matt said as he got up. "The only question now is will they forgive me?

* * *

Meanwhile… At Control Central…

Digit came out of the Control room, he was exhausted from fixing Motherboard. Kim made it look so easy and she'd be done in at least fifteen minutes. Digit has been working for about three hours. He needed a break.

A cybercoop approached Control Central and landed on the balcony. Matt came out and looked to his bird friend. "Hey, Didge."

"Hey, Matty. Where did you go?"

"Radopolis. I needed advice about girls. How's Motherboard?"

"She's doing great. I think I finished. Boy, this was a lot easier when Kim was around." Digit said.

"I know."

The two heard buzzing and beeping coming from the Control Room. Motherboard went haywire again.

Digit sighed, "Wish me luck." He said before going back into the room.

Once he left, Matt started walking to Kim's room. It's too weird saying the space that they all share is the Cybersquad's room. After all, it was her room to begin with.

Once he opened the door to the big room, he started looking around for Jackie and Inez. He didn't see them in the main room, so his guess was that they were still in Inez's room.

Matt stood in front of her door, taking a deep breath before entering. He saw the girls on bed, leaning against the wall. A plastic bag full of used tissues lies on the floor next to the bed. They must have stopped crying. The two of them met eyes with Matt, and vice versa. Silence filled the room, all of them remembered what was said when they were arguing.

"Look," Matt said. "I'm- I'm sorry about what I said. I don't know what came over me to make me say that. I mean, we've all pretty much lost it after what happened to Kim. I was in the heat of the moment, you know. I don't know why I didn't say this earlier, but the reason I want to find Kim's body is because I want her to have a funeral. She at least deserves something better than rotting on Solaria. After what she did for us; I mean, she let us live in Cyberspace." Matt finished. "If you guys don't believe me, then I'll make lunch. I don't care what you want, I'll-" Matt was cut off by a surprise hug from the girls.

"We forgive you, Matt." Jackie said.

"You do?" Matt asked.

"Of course we do," Inez said as they released each other. "You're right; we've all lost it."

"So, can we put this all behind us?" Matt asked.

"You don't have to ask me twice." Inez said.

"So, you guys want something to eat?" Matt asked.

"I'd love some… but can it not be here? I don't think I can look at Kim's empty chair anymore." Jackie asked.

Matt paused for a minute. "I think I know a place."

* * *

"To Kim." Matt said as he held his milkshake in the air.

"To Kim." the girls responded, clinking their milkshakes together.

The three kids were sitting in a booth of Kim's favorite diner, the one closest to the door. It was slightly more packed from the last time they were there. They soon figured out why Kim loved this dinner so much. The food was delicious, the prices were low, and the service was fast.

They were laughing, smiling, and having a good time. Something they haven't done in a while. They went to that diner to honor their friend, Kim could have sat anywhere in the diner, so they didn't have to make themselves sick by glaring wherever she used to sit. Plus they wanted the diner to become a safe haven for them. Go someplace when they all feel depressed about what happened. Somewhere they can forget what's going on, and just feel happy. After all, it was Kim's safe haven.

Matt, Jackie, and Inez couldn't help but notice that the diner was only playing Green Day songs softly. They didn't mind, but it was weird that there was only one band playing rather than multiple artists.

When the kids finished eating, they saw a guy come and collect their plates. His name tag showing: Roger.

"You three enjoy your food?" he asked.

"Yes, we did." Jackie said.

"You three are friends of Kim, aren't you?" he said after a moment of silence.

"Yeah… How did you know?" Inez asked.

"I believe you three were with her here on her birthday." Roger responded.

The Cybersquad took a moment to remember the day Kim joined their team. When they were in this diner and Kim explained herself.

"How do you know her?" Inez asked.

"The girl fixed my machines. I rewarded her with free food every time she comes here, but she still pays a random amount of snelfus." Roger said. "Boy, did she love this place."

The currently playing Green Day song ended only for another one to start.

"I have a question. Why are you only playing Green Day songs?" Matt asked.

"It was her favorite band." Roger said. "She'd come in and order fries and/or a chocolate milkshake, then take a seat in this very booth. For some reason it was her favorite one. And almost every time I walk by her, she'd be either humming or tapping a song by Green Day on the table."  
The three kids stayed silent, taking in what they just heard. They were surprised that this whole time they were sitting in Kim's booth. Laughing, like there wasn't a care in the world. Why did that matter to them? It's Kim's booth, she would want them to sit there and be happy. Not feel weird because she's dead.

"You three have been through enough, you don't need to pay." Roger said.

"No, I'll pay." Matt said.

"If you insist." The manager said putting the receipt on the table.

Matt payed for the meals before he and the girls left the diner. They were all satisfied, so they decided to head back to Control Central. They're all still friends, and they plan to keep it that way.

* * *

Meanwhile… On Solaria…

Slowly building a new life, Kim is doing pretty good so far. She has a new identity, a cave to live in, some new allies, and a new job. She works the night shift at the Juice Bar as a waitress and she's in charge of closing up shop. Meaning she had to check inventory, clean the tables, wash the dishes, put up the chairs, lock up the place, stuff like that.

She heard Jerome and his band play and they were really good. After their show, the her boss pulled them aside to talk to them. She was too busy to ask Jerome about it, and he was discussing with his friends about something, so she didn't want to interrupt.

It took about a half hour for Kim to get used to her new job. It wasn't hard, but she had to break-in her new wig. Her head was itching up a storm, and she couldn't scratch it, because if she scratched the wrong part of the wig, it could make it crooked or fall off her head entirely. Leading to exposure.

Night time rolled around, everyone left including her boss, leaving her alone. She already finished inventory on the food, and the dishes with some rubber gloves that she found. So she just needed to clean the tables and put up chairs. Except she had one problem, her boss only gave her some power. Enough for full light in the kitchen and stock room, and dim lights in the restaurant, giving her a calming atmosphere. Though the power is enough for light, it's not enough for powering music to be playing through the wall speakers. Kim couldn't find a portable radio, and her's was back in the cave. So it was quiet in the Juice Bar and she hated working in silence. Kim didn't really want to be snooping around in places she shouldn't, so she didn't try to find a way to get the music playing.

Sighing, Kim just grabbed a rag and started to wipe the tables clean before putting up the chairs, when she decided to sing what she thought was the perfect song to describe her life right now.

"_I walk a lonely road_  
_The only one that I have ever known_  
_Don't know where it goes_  
_But it's home to me and I walk alone_  
_I walk this empty street_  
_On the Blvd. of Broken Dreams_  
_Where the city sleeps_  
_And I'm the only one and I walk alone_  
_I walk alone, I walk alone_  
_I walk alone, I walk a-_  
_My shadow's the only one who walks beside me_  
_My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating_  
_Sometimes I wish someone out there would find me_  
_'Til then I walk alone_  
_Ahah. Ahah. Ahah. Ah-ah_  
_Ahah. Ahah. Ahah_  
_I'm walking down the line_  
_That divides me somewhere in my mind_  
_On the borderline of the edge_  
_And where I walk alone_  
_Read between the lines_  
_Of what's fucked up and everything's alright_  
_Check my vital signs to know I'm still alive_  
_And I walk alone_  
_I walk alone, I walk alone_  
_I walk alone, I walk a-_  
_My shadow's the only one who walks beside me_  
_My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating_  
_Sometimes I wish someone out there would find me_  
_'Til then I walk alone_  
_Ahah. Ahah. Ahah. Ah-ah_  
_Ahah. Ahah. Ahah_  
_I walk alone, I walk a-_  
_I walk this empty street_  
_On the Blvd. of Broken Dreams_  
_Where the city sleeps_  
_And I'm the only one and I walk a-_  
_My shadow's the only one who walks beside me_  
_My shallow heart's the only thing that's beating_  
_Sometimes I wish someone out there would find me_  
_'Til then I walk alone._"*

Kim hummed the last part of the song until the end.

Little did she know, someone else was still here. Recording her voice before he left out the back door.

* * *

**A/N: Second chapter completed. Freaking finally! Take that writer's block! Now I have to get through writer's block for the next whatever number of chapters! Whoohoo!**

**I'm doing my best to get my chapters up ASAP. You'd think after finals, teachers would give you a break. Nope. Anyway, I'm trying really hard to make my stories really, really good, because of the lack of stories on this fandom. Good things come to those who wait… monthly… But I am really excited for this story, that I wrote two different, really emotional parts for separate chapters that I'm really excited for. I have an idea on where I want this story to go and what I want in it. So I guess that stuff is good news, I think.**

**Thank you, love you. Bye.**

***-Cyberchase- Episode: 204 (True Colors)**

***- _Boulevard of Broken Dreams_ by Green Day.**


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